Someone once told me, “Common sense isn’t all that common.” The more I think about that, the more I find it to be true.
The same goes for the question, “Isn’t it obvious?” Honestly, there are very few things that are unanimously obvious. As communicators, it’s helpful to remember that. Here’s a recent example: Do you have any idea what the symbol below represents?
I sure didn’t until I read this article. As it turns out, that symbol appears on your car’s dashboard if one of your tires is under-inflated by 25 percent or more. That’s an important thing for drivers to know, and so it’s great that a warning system was mandated and implemented.
The problem, as revealed in the article I linked above, is that the symbol was meant to be “idiot proof” by those that developed it. Drivers are meant to glance at the symbol, recognize its meaning, and take action. The problem? What was intended to be an obvious communication is an odd blob with an exclamation point in the middle. What was intended to be an obvious communication conveys a sense of urgency to drivers, but it’s a sense of urgency about nothing in particular. This, in my view, is a communication problem.
As you communicate spiritual truths, timely messages, and important information about the life of your local church, make sure you’re not relying on symbols, references, and insider lingo that you think is obvious. It may be that you’re communicating a sense of urgency (or joy or hope or reverence) about nothing in particular. And wouldn’t that be a shame?